Clubfoot splint



United States Patent 3,477,426 CLUBFOOT SPLINT Joseph J. Wincheski, 1606 Gridley Lane, Silver Spring, Md. 20902 Filed Nov. 30, 1966, Ser. No. 597,926 Int. Cl. A61f /00; A6311 21/02 US. Cl. 12880 18 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A clubfoot splint including two plate mounting members adapted to be fixed to the shoes of a user, and a pair of tightly wound coil springs interconnecting the mounting members to normally hold them in laterally spaced coplanar position against movement in the same plane while permitting relative movement of the mounting members about an axis transverse to the coil springs to allow the user to move his feet vertically relative to each other thereby providing flexibility in the ankles and knees.

The present invention generally relates to orthopedic correctional devices and more particularly to a new and improved clubfoot splint which may be applied to a patient at rest such as during the night for correcting and holding clubfeet in a predetermined position. One particu lar application of the present invention is for correcting inturned and outturned feet although the present invention has other analogous uses.

With conventional or prior clubfoot splints, the clubfeet are held in the desired corrective position however little if any flexibility is allowed for the patient to move his knees or ankles. This condition not only presents appreciable discomfort but moreover may cause or aid in the development of pronated flat feet.

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved clubfoot splint which will hold clubfeet in the desired corrective position but will allow the patient flexibility particularly in the ankles and knees to thus overcome the aforementioned problem.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a clubfoot splint which will achieve the above advantages and yet may be economically manufactured and made available at relatively low retail price and which moreover may be easily adapted for connection to the shoes or feet of a patient.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a clubfoot splint embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the splint in FIGURE 1 and additionally showing in phantom a pair of attached shoes;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along lines 3-3 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmental cross-sectional view taken generally along lines 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

Referring to the drawings in detail there is shown for illustrative purposes only, an orthopedic splint embodying the present invention, for use in correcting clubfeet, FIGURE 2 showing the splint 10 attached to a pair of shoes 12, 14.

In the shown embodiment the splint includes a pair of mounting members formed by elongated plates 16, 18 which may be made from sheet aluminum 0.063 gauge. Plates 16, 18 which may be respectively attached by suitable fasteners to the shoes, the plates being provided with apertures 20 in their opposite ends for this purpose. The

mounting plates are oriented at the desired corrective angle, shown as about 45 degrees, with respect to each "ice other so that when applied as a unit to clubfeet, as will be described, they will extend at the same angle.

In accordance with the present invention mounting plates 16, 18 are interconnected and held in the desired angular relationship by resilient means which in the preferred embodiments are formed by a pair of coil springs 30 and 32. While the illustrated springs are provided by .090 inch (diameter) tightly wound spring piano wire, other resilient members having a force in the range of 300,000 to 400,000 pounds per square inch may also be employed.

Springs 30, 32 may be fastened to mounting plates 16,18 in any suitable manner such as that shown wherein a pair of mounting arms, formed by steel rods 34, 36 and riveted to the opposite ends of the mounting plates so as to project generally laterally inwardly at an angle of about 45 degrees in alignment with the opposite arm towards the opposite mounting plate. The free ends of mounting arms 34, 36 are received in the ends of springs 30, 32 and permanent rigid connections are made by welding the ends of the springs to the arms.

Thus attached, springs 30, 32 extend parallel to each other and preferably with a spacing of 2% inches. In this manner they serve to interconnect mounting plates 16, 18 in coplanar relationship while maintaining the de sired corrective angle between the plates, the latter being obtained by the nature of the springs which are virtually incompressible and therefore prevent shifting of the plates in their normal plane. However springs 30, 32 are resiliently flexible about an axis transverse thereto such as for example an axis bisecting the angle between the plates. This flexibility allows the mounting plates to be shifted out of coplanar relationship into different levels to allow the patient to flex his ankle or his knees or other parts of the legs and feet. This is illustrated in phantom in FIG- URE 2 wherein one shoe is raised relative to the other, the springs flexing upwardly to permit such movement. When unstressed, the springs will hold the mounting plates in coplanar relationship as shown in FIGURE 1.

Although not shown it will be readily apparent that the mounting plates 16, 18 may be adapted for adjustable connection to shoes so as to permit the corrective angle to be varied depending upon the particular deformity in the patient. Additionally suitable means may be provided for direct attachment to the feet or for clamping attachment to the shoes. The resilient feature of the present invention may be incorporated into a plaster of Paris foot mold if desired.

Other modifications of the present invention readily apparent from the foregoing description and accompanying drawings although not specifically described or shown in the drawings will nevertheless be included in the scope of the invention as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A splint for correcting clubfeet or similar deformities comprising in combination; a pair of mounting members adapted to be attached to a pair of feet, resilient means interconnecting said mounting members and maintaining them normally in coplanar relationship and at a predetermined angle with respect to each other such as to position and hold feet outward against relative movement in the same plane when the mounting members are attached to the feet, said resilient means permitting movement of the mounting members relative to each other into different planes about an axis transverse to said resilient means to impart flexibility in the knees and ankles of a person using the splint.

2. The splint defined in claim 1 wherein said resilient means includes a pair of laterally spaced resilient members respectively fixed across the opposite end portions of said mounting members, and wherein said mounting members are dimensioned to extend the substantial length of the feet.

3. The splint defined in claim 2 wherein said resilient members are fixed to said mounting members in parallel interrelationship.

4. The splint defined in claim 3 wherein said resilient members are tightly wound coil springs.

5. The splint defined in claim 4 wherein said spring members each have a strength of 300,000 to 400,000 pounds per square inch.

6. The splint defined in claim 3 wherein the spacing between said resilient members is approximately 2 /2 inches.

7. The splint defined in claim 6 wherein said predetermined angle between said mounting members is approxi mately 45 degrees.

8. The splint defined in claim 7 wherein said mounting members are elongated aluminum plates.

9. The splint defined in claim 8 further including means fixing the opposite ends of said resilient members of said springs to said plates including two pairs of rigid arms fixed to the plates and extending laterally inwardly from the opposite ends of the plates with said springs being fixed to said mounting arms.

10. A splint for correcting clubfeet or similar deformities comprising in combination; a pair of mounting members adapted to be attached to a pair of feet, resilient means interconnecting said mounting members and normally maintaining them in a laterally spaced and coplanar fixed positions against relative movement in the same plane while permitting the mounting members to move relative to each other into different planes about an axis transverse to a line drawn between the mounting members to provide a certain amount of flexibility in the legs of a person using the splint.

11. The splint defined in claim 10 wherein said resilient means includes a pair of spaced spring members.

12. The splint defined in claim 11 wherein said springs are parallel to each other.

13. The splint defined in claim 12 wherein said mounting members are plates extending at an angle relative to each other.

14. The splint defined in claim 11 wherein said spring members are tightly wound coil springs, and wherein said splint further includes two pairs of rigid arms fixed to the mounting members and extending laterally inwardly at opposite locations on the mounting members, and means fixing said coil springs respectively to said pairs of arms.

15. A splint for correcting clubfeet or similar deformities comprising in combination; first and second resilient means, first connecting means connecting said first resilient means between a pair of feet generally at the heel ends thereof, second connecting means connecting said second resilient means between the feet generally at the forward ends of the feet, said first and second resilient means and said first and second connecting means being such as to prevent movement of the feet relative to each other in the same plane while permitting relative movement of the feet into different planes about an axis extending transversely to a line drawn between the feet to provide a certain amount of flexibility in the ankles and knees.

16. The splint defined in claim 15 wherein said resilient means includes a pair of spaced spring members.

17. The splint defined in claim 16 wherein said spring members are tightly wound coil springs extending in generally parallel interrelationship.

18. A splint for correcting clubfeet or similar deformities comprising in combination; a pair of mounting members adapted to be attached to a pair of feet and dimensioned in length to extend a substantial length along the feet, resilient means including a pair of springs interconnecting said mounting members at opposite end portions thereof to normally maintain the mounting members in laterally spaced and coplanar fixed positions against relative movement in the same plane while permitting the mounting members to move relative to each other into different planes about an axis transverse to a line drawn between the mounting members to provide a certain amount of flexibility in the legs of the person using the splint.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,132,862 10/ 1938 Pilates 272-83 2,906,261 9/1959 Craig l28 2,963,020 12/1960 Moran 128-80 OTHER REFERENCES Orthopaedic Appliances Atlas (1952), p. 491, fig. 837.

Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, March 1965, vol. 42-A, No. 2, p. 91.

George Tiemann and Co.s Surgical Instruments, 1889 catalogue, p. 744.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner J. D. YASKO, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 27257, 82 

